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auntykill said,

This is very worrying, apart from the fact that (quote) “Nine competing rabbits wearing harnesses were guided by their owners on a lead through a course of six jumps.” Which really means that the rabbits hadn’t a lot of choice but to go along with it seeing as they were being pulled, the picture also worries me, when did you last see a rabbit with it’s legs extended like this? Rabbits naturally hunch down and “bunnyhop” along, they are not “racing animals” but small creatures with thier own way of life. I’d like to know just what is involved in “training them” if when considered trained they are still on harnesses and leads and I’d also like to know what injuries are caused to the rabbits legs when the “delicately balanced” weights fall and knock them. I don’t find this either amusing or funny, it’s just another example of humans dominating animals and using them for their own entertainment.

ravenrex said,

sorry but the story has got abit muddled as some were not wearing harnasses while jumping as i was one of the ones competing and i saw that some were not on leads, also the Rabbit i was competing (a belgian hare) she only wears a collar no lead or harness and she jumps on her own accord and she expects no treats.
With regards to training them you just put jumps in front they go over if they want.

demismith said,

Exactly! All my rabbits will jump without a harness and lead but these pictures were taken in a very open space, this is why some of the rabbits are shown with leads on as we wouldn’t want them running off.

I am not using my animals for entertainment, they love jumping and it helps prevent obesity, a commom problem in todays rabbits.

4

mhayworth said,

I can’t believe that anyone who loves animals would create a sport for them to be involved in. Do they not see throughout history that any sport that makes money through betting or otherwise will involve animals being bred, trained, and abused for financial gain? Most of the inhumanity we see involving animals happens when they are treated as ‘products’ in an industry rather than living and feeling beings.

Just look at the abuse of dogs that don’t cut the grain in the hunting industry, greyhounds of no further use to racing, horses suffering from performance enhancing drugs in the show jumping and horse racing industries. Look at the appalling living conditions of birds used for shooting. The list is endless. Why? Animals can’t speak, can’t provide consent, and certainly can’t make it stop.

pixibunni said,

I think its a bit off you putting that as your title. It’s unfair to judge these people. They treat their rabbits better than the average pet owner. If you actually own and learn a rabbits personality you’ll realise they do what they want. Rabbits are very athletic, and need LOTS of running space, jumping is good exercise in my opinion, and it’s something they’re naturally good at. A rabbit can jump 1 metre high no bother. Just watch them binky in the yard.
The times of the lonely bunny stuck out in the back yard and prodded by the kids when the parents moan is OVER! Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK with over one million of them living in British households.
Would you call the dog obstical courses cruel? No. Would you call show jumping cruel? No. So go focus your attention on the people who actually preform animal cruelty!

demismith said,

Rabbits will ONLY jump if they really want to! When I train a rabbit, to jump, I basically put him/her infront of a hurdle and reward the rabbit when it goes over. With some rabbits they love jumping so much that you don’t even have to reward them. No rabbit is forced to do anything, if they don’t enjoy jumping then they wont do it, simple as. My main jumper Harley will just run backwards and fowards over a course of jumps when not in a harness and lead, he’ll even do it when I’m not there! Jumping is great exercise for rabbits. My jumping rabbits and non-jumpers are all my PETS and treated the same.

mhayworth said,

My comments weren’t intended for the people who do this with their own pets for a bit of exercise. The point I was trying to make is that I hope this doesn’t become some form of organised sport because as soon as money is involved, you attract a different brand of people who aren’t concerned about the animals at all.

Hare coursing is a perfect example of how the darker side of the human race gets their kicks. Some like the money and others like the cruelty but there certainly isn’t anyone involved who thinks about the welfare of the hare. You also need to think about how these animals are trapped and what conditions they are kept in until an event takes place or what happens to the ones that don’t perform.

As for the comment about show jumping, I grew up with horses and rode in many shows. I stopped doing it because of the abuse that I witnessed – not in the small county shows but in the higher stakes competitions where the only concern is the ‘win’. I had friends who’s horses were constantly fed performance drugs without them even being consulted. Money can do strange things to people.

demismith said,

I set up the Rabbit Jumping UK site, it isn’t exactly a club yet but once it is I will ensure that the rabbits welfare is the most important thing, I wouldn’t dream of being involved with someone that only jumped to make money and fame for themselves! I jump because my rabbits love it, I’m trying to promote the sport because so many rabbits are trapped in tiny hutches all their lives once the owners are bored of them, they need exercise.